Galway Bay FM newsroom- An inspection has found "no evidence" of food being served in plastic bags to residents of the Eglinton Direct Provision Centre in Salthill.
It's after a 5 second video went viral online, which allegedly showed a staff member serving cooked food items from buffet trays into a white plastic bag.
IPAS - the Government agency responsible for the provision of accommodation to those in the asylum process - says it is aware of the video that is circulating on social media.
It states in response, staff of the International Protection Procurement Service visited the premises to investigate the matter and ensure the operators were complying with the terms of its contract with regards to food provision to residents.
In the statement to Galway Bay fm news, IPAS confirms this visit included a review of available CCTV - but ultimately, no evidence was found that food is being served in plastic bags.
IPAS adds it is always available to deal with any complaints from residents, who are encouraged to engage with the body if they are unhappy with any aspect of their accommodation.
It says where a complaint is significant in nature, or a resident is not comfortable raising a complaint with a centre manager, they can make a complaint directly to IPAS, through a representative acting on their behalf if necessary.
IPAS further states it has no role in determining a resident’s claim for international protection - and residents can freely make complaints without any implications for their claims.
According a previous inspection report carried out in September, inspectors at that time found the food to be of a decent standard with good variety, and the kitchen facilities met all required standards.
At that time, it was noted there were 120 people living at the Eglinton Direct Provision Centre, though it has a contracted capacity of 230.
